Questar Corporation - 10Q

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Washington, D.C. 20549



FORM 8-K

CURRENT REPORT



Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
The Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report - February 12, 2003
(Date of earliest event reported)



QUESTAR CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)


STATE OF UTAH
(State of other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)

           1-8796
(Commission File No.)

                   87-0407509
                (I.R.S. Employer
               Identification No.)




P.O. Box 45433, 180 East 100 South Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0433
(Address of principal executive offices)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code (801) 324-5000


                                  Not Applicable                                  
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

 

          Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits.

                    (c)   Exhibits.

Exhibit No.

Exhibit

99.1

Release issued February 12, 2003, by Questar Corporation.

          Item 9.   Regulation FD Disclosure.

          On February 12, 2003, Questar Corporation issued a press release announcing its earnings for the fourth quarter of 2002. A copy of this press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated by reference.

SIGNATURE

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

QUESTAR CORPORATION
  (Registrant)


February 12, 2003

/s/S. E. Parks

S. E. Parks
Senior Vice President, Treasurer, and
Chief Financial Officer

List of Exhibits:

Exhibit No.

Exhibit

99.1

Release issued February 12, 2003, by Questar Corporation.

 

Exhibit 99.1

QUESTAR REPORTS 2002 NET INCOME OF $155.6 MILLION

     SALT LAKE CITY - Questar Corp. (NYSE:STR), an integrated natural gas company, reported 2002 earnings of $155.6 million, or $1.88 per diluted share, compared with $158.2 million, or $1.94 per share a year earlier.

     The company's 2002 results included a $15.3 million, or $.19-per-share, write-down in the first quarter resulting from a change in the method of accounting for goodwill. Sales of noncore assets produced an after-tax gain of $27 million, or $.33 per share.

     Questar's regulated businesses - including interstate gas transmission and retail gas distribution -- increased their net income by $6.7 million. Earnings for nonregulated subsidiary Questar Market Resources - which conducts unregulated gas and oil development, gas gathering, processing and marketing - declined $3.2 million primarily because of poor Rocky Mountain natural gas prices in the second and third quarters of 2002.

     Excluding the goodwill write-down, Questar's 2002 net income was $170.9 million, or $2.07 per diluted share. Excluding both the write-down and assets sales, Questar earned $143.9 million, or $1.74 per share, in 2002 versus $145.6 million, or $1.78 per share, in 2001.

     The $1.74 per-share figure was in line with the company's October 2002 earnings guidance of $1.70 to $1.80 per share. The guidance excluded the one-time goodwill charge and asset sales for the second half of 2002.

     For the fourth quarter of 2002, Questar earned $.82 per share compared with $.52 for the year-earlier period. Excluding asset sales, Questar's net income was $.54 per share in the 2002 quarter and $.45 for the year-earlier period, a 20% increase.

     There was an average of 82.6 million common shares outstanding in 2002 versus 81.7 million the prior year.

     Keith O. Rattie, Questar president and chief executive officer, said, "The bottom line in 2002 is that poor Rockies gas prices took their toll on our earnings. But, 2002 in many respects was a transition year for Questar, and we executed our plan in a difficult market environment. We grew nonregulated production 12%, despite curtailments and asset sales. We laid the groundwork for improved returns on capital in our regulated businesses. We sold underperforming assets at favorable prices, generating more than $250 million in cash. We reduced total corporate debt from 59% to 51% of total capitalization. We protected our credit ratings, which remain strong. We also implemented our new hedging discipline, which reduced the impact of the mid-year plunge in natural gas prices in our core Rockies E&P business.

     "With 2002 behind us, we're well positioned to get back on a growth track in 2003," Rattie said.

 

FULL-YEAR 2002/QUESTAR MARKET RESOURCES

 

     Questar Market Resources (QMR) earned $97.9 million in 2002 compared with $101.1 million a year earlier. Sales of nonstrategic properties in Canada and the southwestern United States produced an after-tax gain of $26.8 million in 2002 versus $8.7 million a year earlier. Excluding asset sales, QMR's net income was $71.1 million in 2002 and $92.4 million in 2001, a 23% decrease.

     QMR's 2002 nonregulated gas and oil production increased to a record 96.3 billion cubic feet equivalent (bcfe), up 12% over 2001. Production increased significantly at the company's Pinedale Anticline project in southwestern Wyoming and from properties in Utah's Uinta Basin that were acquired in mid-2001. Curtailments due to low prices reduced annual production by approximately 3.3 bcfe.

     Record 2002 natural gas production was offset by a 20% decline in the average realized sales price from $3.21 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf) in 2001 to $2.58 per Mcf in 2002. Approximately 60% of QMR's 2002 production came from the Rockies, where net-to-the-well prices were below $1.50 per Mcf for much of the year. Weak Rockies prices resulted from a combination of a region-wide increase in production capability and inadequate regional pipeline capacity. The company's price-hedging policy improved the average sales price by approximately $.41 per Mcf.

     QMR sold its Canadian exploration and production subsidiary in October 2002 and used the proceeds to reduce debt. The Canadian properties represented about 10% of QMR's nonregulated production and 7% of nonregulated reserves. The Canadian subsidiary earned about $1.5 million for QMR in the first nine months of 2002.

     Wexpro reported net income of $30.8 million in 2002, a $2.6 million improvement over the prior year. Wexpro develops gas properties owned by Questar's gas-distribution utility. The higher net income resulted from expanded investment in gas-development projects.

     QMR's gas-gathering, processing and marketing subsidiaries reported 2002 earnings of $11 million compared with $8.4 million in the prior year. Gathering volumes increased 23% to 191 million decatherms (Dth) in 2002 due to regional production growth and the acquisition of a Utah gathering system in mid-2001.

FULL-YEAR 2002/QUESTAR REGULATED SERVICES

 

     Questar Regulated Services - consisting of interstate gas-transmission and storage and retail gas-distribution subsidiaries - achieved 12% net-income growth in 2002. Combined earnings rose from $58.5 million in 2001 to $65.2 million in 2002.

     Questar Pipeline - with core operations in Utah, Wyoming and Colorado - reported 2002 net income of $32.6 million versus $29.7 million in the prior year. Total transportation volumes rose 16% to 362.9 million Dth.

     Volume growth reflected the full-year operation of Main Line 104, a 77-mile pipeline in central Utah. Placed in service in November 2001, the pipeline's 272,000 Dth of daily capacity was fully committed throughout the year. In addition, the eastern section of the Questar Southern Trails Pipeline began operation in June 2002 with firm contracts for its 80,000 Dth of total daily capacity. The eastern section runs 488 miles from New Mexico's San Juan Basin to connections with California distribution companies.

     Questar Pipeline - following the successful resolution of a lawsuit - sold its 50% interest in the TransColorado Pipeline to a Kinder Morgan affiliate for $105.5 million, effective Oct. 1, 2002. Proceeds were used to reduce debt.

     Net income for Questar Gas - a retail gas distributor - increased to $32.4 million in 2002 versus $25.9 million in the prior year. Results for 2002 benefited from the recovery of $3.8 million in gas-processing costs incurred in 1999 and 2000, resulting from a Utah Supreme Court ruling. In addition, Questar Gas's results were improved by a change in the recovery of bad-debt costs and increased customer contributions related to service-connection costs. A recent rate order requires that future customer contributions will be accounted for as a rate-base reduction instead of revenues, and rates were increased to reflect the change.

     Questar Gas's financial performance included higher depreciation expense and a 3% decline in usage per customer in 2002. The usage decline - which was typical for the industry at large - primarily resulted from more-efficient homes and appliances and conservation in the company's service territory.

     General service deliveries rose 9%, reflecting a 2.5% customer-growth rate that remained among the highest in the industry. Questar Gas served 750,128 customers at year-end 2002, a year-to-year increase of 18,200.

     Corporate and Other Operations lost $7.5 million in 2002 compared with a $1.4 million loss in the prior year. Questar's data-hosting activities lost $15.4 million in 2002 due to the $15.3 million goodwill-accounting change write-down. Excluding the write-down, Corporate and Other Operations earned $7.8 million in 2002.

FOURTH-QUARTER 2002 RESULTS

 

     Questar Market Resources reported net income of $41.5 million in fourth-quarter 2002 compared with $19.1 million a year earlier. Sales of noncore assets produced an after-tax gain of $23.3 million during the 2002 period versus $2.5 million in 2001. Excluding asset sales, QMR earned $18.2 million in the 2002 quarter and $16.6 million in the prior-year period

     The average realized natural gas sales price improved 8% year over year to $2.86 per Mcf. Net nonregulated gas production declined 1% to 20.2 bcf as higher production rates from core properties essentially offset volumes lost through sales of other producing properties. Nonregulated oil and natural gas-liquids production was down 27% due primarily to the asset sales, while the selling price improved $5.28 to $21.32 per barrel.

     Wexpro earned $7.4 million in the 2002 quarter versus $7.8 million in the 2001 quarter. The company's earnings base ($164 million at year end) was adjusted in the 2002 quarter to reflect accelerated tax depreciation allowed by the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002. Gas gathering and marketing produced earnings of $6.5 million compared with $1.3 million a year earlier due to higher throughput and improved processing margins.

     Questar Regulated Services earned $25 million in the fourth quarter of 2002 versus $22.3 million in the prior-year period. Questar Gas's net income improved 31% to $16.4 million through customer additions, bad-debt expense recovery and lower gas-processing charges. Net income for Questar Pipeline increased 5% to $8.5 million in fourth-quarter 2002 primarily from additional transportation contracts.

2003 EARNINGS GUIDANCE

 

     Rattie said Questar is projecting 2003 earnings of $1.95 to $2.10 per share, a 12% to 21% increase over the comparable $1.74 per-share results in 2002. He indicated that the guidance is based on the company's current hedge positions as outlined below - and anticipated prices for the company's unhedged gas and oil production based on forward price curves at the close of business Feb. 11, 2003. The guidance also excludes gains and losses on asset sales and the impact of FAS 143, the new accounting rules for recording asset-retirement obligations, primarily related to future well-abandonment costs.

     Rattie said the company's base nonregulated production capability going into 2003 is about 83 to 85 bcfe per year after adjusting for the sale of nonstrategic producing assets. The company's goal is to grow nonregulated production by 5% to 10% in 2003, assuming no further asset sales and no price-related curtailments. Nonregulated proved reserves at year-end 2002 were approximately 1,113 bcfe, reflecting asset sales, additions, revisions and production, compared to 1,184 bcfe a year earlier.

CURRENT HEDGE POSITIONS

     Gas hedges/2003

Bcf

Price (per Mcf)

(net to well)

     Rocky Mountains

32.1

$3.04

     Midcontinent

12.0

$3.60

     Total

44.1

$3.19

     Gas hedges/2004

Bcf

Price (per Mcf)

(net to well)

     Rocky Mountains

14.5

$3.11

     Midcontinent

3.4

$3.71

     Total

17.9

$3.22

     Oil hedges/2003

Mbbls

Price (per bbl)

(net to well)

1,095

$21.80

     Questar is a $3.1 billion integrated natural gas company headquartered in Salt Lake City. Through subsidiaries, it engages in gas and oil development and production; gas gathering, processing and marketing; interstate gas transmission and storage; retail gas distribution and energy services; and information systems and technologies.

Forward-looking Statements

     This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Such statements are based on management's current expectations, estimates and projections, which are subject to a wide range of uncertainties and business risks. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from those anticipated are discussed in the company's periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2001. Subject to the requirements of otherwise applicable law, the company cannot be expected to update the statements contained in this news release or take actions described herein or otherwise presently planned.

For more information, visit Questar's internet site at: www.questar.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUESTAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME

(Unaudited)

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

December 31,

December 31,

2002

2001

2002

2001

(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)

REVENUES

  Questar Market Resources

$  164,896

$  132,326

$  522,476

$  645,867

  Questar Regulated Services

    Natural gas distribution

191,526

 210,232

593,835

701,150

    Natural gas transmission

21,420

13,554

66,275

49,402

    Other

1,607

1,138

4,160

4,603

  Corporate and other operations

3,401

9,182

13,921

38,328

    TOTAL REVENUES

382,850

366,432

1,200,667

1,439,350

OPERATING EXPENSES

  Cost of natural gas and other products sold

152,328

162,444

395,742

675,011

  Operating and maintenance

77,794

81,177

284,317

270,355

  Depreciation, depletion and amortization

48,229

43,183

184,952

151,735

  Exploration

1,103

2,969

6,086

6,986

  Abandonment and impairment of gas, oil

    and related properties

8,717

1,087

11,183

5,171

  Production and other taxes

10,259

7,945

44,192

55,985

    TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

298,430

298,805

926,472

1,165,243

    OPERATING INCOME

84,420

67,627

274,195

274,107

Interest and other income

38,773

13,795

56,667

35,298

Earnings from unconsolidated affiliates

1,687

884

11,777

159

Minority interest

200

271

501

1,725

Debt expense

(20,235)

(17,820)

(81,121)

(64,833)

    INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES

      AND CUMULATIVE EFFECT

104,845

64,757

262,019

246,456

Income taxes

36,832

22,176

91,126

88,270

    INCOME BEFORE CUMULATIVE EFFECT

68,013

42,581

170,893

158,186

CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF CHANGE IN

    ACCOUNTING FOR GOODWILL, net of $2,010

    attributed to minority interest

(15,297)

        NET INCOME

$   68,013

$   42,581

$  155,596

$  158,186

BASIC EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

    Income before cumulative effect

$     0.83

$     0.52

$     2.09

$     1.95

    Cumulative effect

(0.19)

    Net income

$     0.83

$     0.52

$     1.90

$     1.95

DILUTED EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

    Income before cumulative effect

$     0.82

$     0.52

$     2.07

$     1.94

    Cumulative effect

(0.19)

    Net income

$     0.82

$     0.52

$     1.88

$     1.94

Weighted average common shares outstanding

    Used in basic calculation

81,950

81,466

81,782

81,097

    Used in diluted calculation

82,838

81,818

82,573

81,658

Dividends per common share

$     0.185

$     0.18

$     0.725

$    0.705

QUESTAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS

(Unaudited)

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

December 31,

December 31,

2002

2001

2002

2001

(Deca = 10, M = 1,000)

QUESTAR MARKET RESOURCES

  Production volumes

    Natural gas (in MMcf)

20,217

20,492

79,674

70,574

    Oil and natural gas liquids (in Mbbl)

564

768

2,764

2,500

    Average daily production (MMcfe)

257

273

264

234

  Average selling price, net to the well

  Average realized selling price (including hedges)

    Natural gas (per Mcf)

$2.86

$2.64

$2.58

$3.21

    Oil and natural gas liquids (per bbl)

$21.32

$16.04

$20.39

$19.22

  Average selling price (without hedges)

    Natural gas (per Mcf)

$2.77

$2.10

$2.17

$3.84

    Oil and natural gas liquids (per bbl)

$26.11

$18.08

$22.93

$23.14

  Marketing volumes in energy equivalent

    Decatherms (in MDecatherms)

24,236

23,481

83,816

91,791

  Natural gas gathering volumes (in MDecatherms)

    For unaffiliated customers

29,797

23,644

112,205

91,729

    For Questar Gas

10,800

10,172

40,685

37,161

    For other affiliated customers

12,656

7,267

38,136

27,049

      Total gathering

53,253

41,083

191,026

155,939

    Gathering revenue (per Decatherm)

$.16

$.13

$.16

$.13

QUESTAR REGULATED SERVICES - NATURAL GAS DISTRIBUTION

  Natural gas volumes (in MDecatherms)

  Residential and commercial sales

29,697

29,239

90,796

83,650

  Industrial sales

3,051

2,910

10,729

10,684

  Transportation for industrial customers

11,994

11,918

46,459

54,624

    Total deliveries

44,742

44,067

147,984

148,958

  Natural gas revenues (per Decatherm)

    Residential and commercial

$5.77

$6.50

$5.75

$7.39

    Industrial sales

$3.67

$4.91

$4.15

$5.26

    Transportation for industrial customers

$.16

$.13

$.16

$.13

  Heating degree days

      Colder (warmer) than normal

1%

no variance

7%

(2%)

  Average temperature adjusted usage

    per customer (Decatherms)

40.5

41.0

117.8

121.0

  Number of customers at December 31,

    Residential and commercial

748,842

730,579

    Industrial

1,286

1,321

      Total

750,128

731,900

QUESTAR REGULATED SERVICES - NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION

  Natural gas transportation volumes (in Mdecatherms)

   For unaffiliated customers

71,420

52,088

245,119

195,610

    For Questar Gas

19,721

31,524

111,692

110,259

    For other affiliated customers

3,519

2,906

6,044

6,892

      Total transportation

94,660

86,518

362,855

312,761

    Transportation revenue (per Dth)

$0.29

$0.25

$0.26

$0.25

 

 

 

QUESTAR CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

SELECTED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS

(Unaudited)

3 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

December 31,

December 31,

2002

2001

2002

2001

(In Thousands, Except Per Share Amounts)

FINANCIAL RESULTS

REVENUES FROM UNAFFILIATED CUSTOMERS

  Questar Market Resources

$  164,896

$  132,326

$  522,476

$  645,867

  Questar Regulated Services

    Natural gas distribution

191,526

 210,232

593,835

701,150

    Natural gas transmission

21,420

13,554

66,275

49,402

    Other

1,607

1,138

4,160

4,603

      Total Regulated Services

214,553

224,924

664,270

755,155

    Corporate and other operations

3,401

9,182

13,921

38,328

$  382,850

$  366,432

$1,200,667

$1,439,350

REVENUES FROM AFFILIATED CUSTOMERS

  Questar Market Resources

$  24,930

$  25,144

$  106,647

$  100,530

  Questar Regulated Services

    Natural gas distribution

433

349

1,676

2,963

    Natural gas transmission

18,402

18,928

76,600

75,491

    Other

451

310

1,687

1,463

  Corporate and other operations

7,654

6,563

30,457

29,444

$   51,870

$   51,294

$  217,067

$  209,891

OPERATING INCOME (LOSS)

  Questar Market Resources

$   33,218

$   29,033

$  130,444

$  159,341

  Questar Regulated Services

    Natural gas distribution

31,145

23,964

70,354

58,382

    Natural gas transmission

18,301

15,330

66,185

59,322

    Other

(8)

(124)

(341)

(83)

      Total Regulated Services

49,438

39,170

136,198

117,621

    Corporate and other operations

1,764

(576)

7,553

(2,855)

       OPERATING INCOME

$  84,420

$  67,627

$  274,195

$  274,107

NET INCOME (LOSS)

  Questar Market Resources

$   41,510

$   19,104

$   97,929

$  101,134

  Questar Regulated Services

    Natural gas distribution

16,409

12,508

32,399

25,873

    Natural gas transmission

8,480

8,040

32,608

29,741

    Other

61

1,756

160

2,831

      Total Regulated Services

24,950

22,304

65,167

58,445

    Corporate and other operations

1,553

1,173

7,797

(1,393)

INCOME BEFORE CUMULATIVE EFFECT

  OF ACCOUNTING CHANGE

   68,013

   42,581

  170,893

  158,186

CUMULATIVE EFFECT

(15,297)

      NET INCOME

$  68,013

$   42,581

$  155,596

$  158,186

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE - DILUTED

  Income before cumulative effect

$    0.82

$    0.52

$    2.07

$    1.94

  Cumulative effect

(0.19)

  Net income

$    0.82

$    0.52

$    1.88

$    1.94

Weighted average diluted common shares

82,838

81,818

82,573

81,658

Dividends per common share

$     0.185

$     0.18

$     0.725

$    0.705